The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 1 eBook

but will, I know to a certainty, rescue himself.
I have seen before many mighty Rakshasas of huge bodies
engaged in combat with my heroic son and killed too
by him. But, O Brahmana, do not disclose this
fact to anybody, for if it be known, persons desirous
of obtaining this power, will, from curiosity, always
trouble my sons. The wise have said that if my
son imparteth any knowledge, without the assent of
his preceptor, unto any person, my son himself will
no longer be able to profit by that knowledge.’

“Thus addressed by Pritha, the Brahmana with
his wife became exceedingly glad and assented to Kunti’s
speech, which was unto them as nectar. Then Kunti,
accompanied by the Brahmana, went unto the son of Vayu
(Bhima) and asked him to accomplish (that difficult
task). Bhima replied unto them, saying, ‘So
be it.’”

SECTION CLXIV

(Vaka-vadha Parva continued)

“Vaisampayana said, ’After Bhima had pledged
himself to accomplish the task, saying, ‘I will
do it,’ the Pandavas, O Bharata, returned home
with the alms they had obtained during the day.
Then Yudhishthira, the son of Pandu from Bhima’s
countenance alone, suspected the nature of the task
he had undertaken to accomplish. Sitting by the
side of his mother, Yudhishthira asked her in private,
’What is the task, O mother, that Bhima of terrible
prowess seeketh to accomplish? Doth he do so at
thy command or of his own accord?’ Kunti replied,
’Bhima, that chastiser of foes, will at my command,
do this great deed for the good of the Brahmana and
the liberation of this town.’

“Yudhishthira said, ’What rash act hast
thou done, O mother! It is difficult of being
performed and almost amounteth to suicide! The
learned never applaud the abandonment of one’s
own child. Why dost thou, O mother, wish to sacrifice
thy own child for the sake of another’s?
Thou hast, O mother, by this abandonment of thy child,
acted not only against the course of human practices
but also against the teachings of the Vedas, That
Bhima, relying on whose arms we sleep happily in the
night and hope to recover the kingdom of which we
have been deprived by the covetous son of Dhritarashtra,
that hero of immeasurable energy, remembering whose
prowess Duryodhana and Sakuni do not sleep a wink
during the whole night and by whose prowess we were
rescued from the palace of lac and various other dangers,
that Bhima who caused the death of Purochana, and
relying on whose might we regard ourselves as having
already slain the sons of Dhritarashtra and acquired
the whole earth with all her wealth, upon what considerations,
O mother, hast thou resolved upon abandoning him?
Hast thou been deprived of thy reason? Hath thy
understanding been clouded by the calamities thou hast
undergone?’